Lucifericon - Brimstone Altar (2016)

Lucifericon hitting us up with two tracks this time around and both of them are rather entertaining, especially if you like progressive/atmospheric black metal stuff. The first one we have is a dual piece entitled “Brimstone Altar/The Jaws Of Time” but it unfortunately doesn't really seem to move into that other piece. There are some short sections of atmosphere, flying solo sections and blasting drums, but nothing that really signifies to me, “Oh, this is a different song now.” It's still good black metal and wouldn't dare knock it by any means, but it could have been fine with just one title and I feel that two seem unnecessarily pretentious. The reason why write new songs, is so that we can give them new titles. As for the second cut (which is actually far longer, nearly heading into twelve minutes) it's entitled “Witch Of The Cosmic Grave” and begins with some rather spooky atmospherics. Musically it also seems to offer more atmosphere and doesn't sound as straight-forward as the prior cut did. There are scowls utilized, but they're not utilized in a fashion that involves verse/chorus or even verse/verse. It seems that they wanted to do something that more or less feels like a soundscape, and they achieved that. This is the kind of song where the vocal element really isn't all that necessary, and if you want me to be honest – it sounds more like a mix of black metal and threatening doom. I also like the fact that this piece in particular really shows the drummer doing something else besides blasting the hell out of the kit, and the piece truly requires much of his skill in order to keep that atmosphere. I don't think some black metal fans will like this, as it doesn't necessary come straight to the face with misanthropic madness, but I'll admit that I'd have been rather bored by this if the record had only featured two songs that sounded the exact fucking same. Let's give Lucifericon some proper recognition here, and commend them for doing something a little more interesting than some acts would offer on similar EP releases. I think this one is pretty solid, and I'd actually recommend you give it an ear. Not literally, of course.

(2 Tracks, 21:00)

8/10